Mobile phones in the USA

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pjays

109 posts

Master Geek

#1071994 22-Jun-2014 10:26

Yes she's going to MSU in Bozeman. Thanks for all the info.... Very helpful... Will look into it

pjays

109 posts

Master Geek

#1072284 23-Jun-2014 00:02

So from this... if I took over a Telecom phone it should work on the AT & T network? It does not need to be unlocked and should just work with an AT&T Sim?
Thinking of an iphone or perhaps a Nokia 925 .. something with a reasonable camera so that she could that whilst she is there.

nigelj

856 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1072288 23-Jun-2014 00:15

pjays: So from this... if I took over a Telecom phone it should work on the AT & T network? It does not need to be unlocked and should just work with an AT&T Sim?
Thinking of an iphone or perhaps a Nokia 925 .. something with a reasonable camera so that she could that whilst she is there.

Correct, Telecom phones are generally unlocked, I don't recall a 'locked' stint.

If you want, you can test this easily by borrowing a friends Vodafone or 2degrees SIM and inserting it into the Telecom phone, if the phone connects and provides service (make a test call), it's most certainly unlocked from a SIM/network perspective..

freitasm

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Geekzone

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#1072359 23-Jun-2014 08:58

Some (cheaper) Telecom handsets are now SIM locked (same with Vodafone). But in general Telecom handsets aren't locked and have the right band for AT&T 3G.

pjays

109 posts

Master Geek

#1072427 23-Jun-2014 10:36

freitasm: Some (cheaper) Telecom handsets are now SIM locked (same with Vodafone). But in general Telecom handsets aren't locked and have the right band for AT&T 3G.

So would the same apply with phones from the States running on At&T? Would they need to be unlocked before being used here? If so its the carrier in the US that needs to do the unlock?

freitasm

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#1072446 23-Jun-2014 10:53

The reverse is true but... Most (if not all) AT&T handsets are SIM locked. Also most (if not all) have pre-installed AT&T bloatware and most (if not all) have the AT&T settings locked down.

pjays

109 posts

Master Geek

#1072457 23-Jun-2014 11:03

freitasm: The reverse is true but... Most (if not all) AT&T handsets are SIM locked. Also most (if not all) have pre-installed AT&T bloatware and most (if not all) have the AT&T settings locked down.

Sorry... not sure if I understand this then... I can take a Telecom phone over to the States and its likely it can run on the At&T network ok. But whilst in theory the reverse is true, the AT&T handsets are locked so really could not be used over here? Or is there a way of getting them unlocked for use over here?

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nigelj

856 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1072460 23-Jun-2014 11:06

pjays:
freitasm: The reverse is true but... Most (if not all) AT&T handsets are SIM locked. Also most (if not all) have pre-installed AT&T bloatware and most (if not all) have the AT&T settings locked down.

Sorry... not sure if I understand this then... I can take a Telecom phone over to the States and its likely it can run on the At&T network ok. But whilst in theory the reverse is true, the AT&T handsets are locked so really could not be used over here? Or is there a way of getting them unlocked for use over here?

AT&T Phones will 'roam' here (i.e. keeping the AT&T SIM in) fine on 3G, but are SIM locked so you can't insert a local SIM. Depending on the phone/policy/etc you may be able to pay an unlocking fee (that can be an outrageous price) to remove the lock and allow the insertion of a non-AT&T SIM.

Just remember, per my posts highlighting Verizon roaming rates... Roaming is EXPENSIVE (and some networks don't allow roaming on Prepaid plans in all countries! - So you'd need to check with AT&T if you were planning on that option)

pjays

109 posts

Master Geek

#1072469 23-Jun-2014 11:15

but are SIM locked so you can't insert a local SIM.

Ok - thanks. that's really what I wanted to know. Don't want to purchase a phone in the States thinking it will work here and find that it doesn't. Not sure what an outrageous unlocking fee would be like. Assume its something that AT&T would do and would be prohibitive to the point of not making it worthwhile to get doen and bring home.

old3eyes

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#1072498 23-Jun-2014 11:31

There's plenty of AT&T phone unlocking services on Ebay..

Regards,

Old3eyes

nigelj

856 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1072500 23-Jun-2014 11:34

pjays:
but are SIM locked so you can't insert a local SIM.

Ok - thanks. that's really what I wanted to know. Don't want to purchase a phone in the States thinking it will work here and find that it doesn't. Not sure what an outrageous unlocking fee would be like. Assume its something that AT&T would do and would be prohibitive to the point of not making it worthwhile to get doen and bring home.

The general economics of it are something like:

Cellphone provider sets RRP to price Y (say $500)
They decide that the consumer that would buy it outright, they'd make a profit of say $300 over a year so decide that they can afford to discount those phones by say $150
So, they set the sticker price to price X (so in this case, say $350, but say "hey look, the RRP we set, is $500, - even though at a per unit cost could still be making a profit at 350!")
Then if you ever want to leave the network, well they charge you that $150. OR rely on the fact that your phone isn't compatible with another network.

(Or yes, as Old3eyes points out, it may be possible to find someone that isn't AT&T that can unlock it for you... hmmmm, no comment)

To be fair, this is a part of the mobile business that is slowly getting better though, it used to be extortionate at best in my opinion, but gradually it seems that some aspects of phone sales are realising that permanent SIM locking is bad, last time I purchased a device in Australia for instance it was MUCH easier to unlock than it ever has been in the past, with many fee exemptions, companies are starting to realise that vendor-lockin will only alienate people :). (That's my mini-rant for the day done with)

Sidestep

1013 posts

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#1072532 23-Jun-2014 12:20

If OP's daughter is only here for 4 months she's not likely to be Financing or purchasing an AT&T phone on contract (24 months seems to be standard) anyway.
They & others seem to be recently making it easier to unlock their phones as long as they're out of contract.
If the phone's not paid in full, or contract remaining I think that's when you hit the big buyout fees.
I see they have a BYOD deal going now - no activation fee if you supply your own unlocked device.

pjays

109 posts

Master Geek

#1072594 23-Jun-2014 13:40

Sidestep: If OP's daughter is only here for 4 months she's not likely to be Financing or purchasing an AT&T phone on contract (24 months seems to be standard) anyway.

Quite right there!

But there seem to be off contract AT&T phones available 2nd hand in the States that are quite a bit cheaper than here. So might make sense to wait until shes there to sort out. But ideally be good to bring it back for use here.. and sounds like its possible if she gets it unlocked.

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